The night brought, too, its peace of rest, and on the morrow Yodogima awakened to a juster realization of affairs close at hand; swift couriers brought tidings of a great change at the seat of authority, Fushima--lately established by Hideyoshi as his own official residence, but just now turned over to Hidetsugu, his nephew, whom he had adopted and made kwambaku, he himself assuming the title of Taiko. Scorn, therefore, began, presently, to take the place of due consideration; rumor travelled fast, and the master's change of title, and the adoption of an heir, soon raised the question of failure: Yodogima was now charged with vilest remission, and had not resignation sooner prepared the way she, too, must have fallen before the rank avalanche of duller ingratitude than follows in the wake of blind assumption. The nation had been wronged, and the man who had placed his trust in her, abused: it devolved upon her and none other to right the grievous evil that had apparently been accepted as final. "What in His name can I do?" begged and plead the princess, in the only way that she knew. Then Oyea stealthily came to Ozaka, advising and befriending. The older of the two wives did not threaten; she had learned by experience and conversion that the more effective course lay in subtler means, perhaps in truth. "Why don't you visit Hiyeisan? There is a temple there--" "I thought you had turned Christian?" interceded Yodogima, thoughtlessly. "So I have; but you may need not some forgiveness; circumstance no sooner governs than fulfilment predicates--the act, if not our meed. What matter how or where we pray and do, when wrought in heaven's likening span? It is the consequence, and not its revelation, that makes duty paramount. Therefore, seek you, who have only to choose; it is for such as I to fashion, and when this particular god shall have served you as he never did me, why, then, you, too, may have occasion to flit and none to reason. I tell you there are as many ways as creeds, or less, and I'd try them out, all of them, though not so beautiful." Yodogima laughed outright in spite of conditions: "What in heaven's name has beauty to do with religion?" "My dear Yodogima; it has everything to do with it; as it has to do with all things and everybody, the gods, their churches, and our bounties included. Do you suppose, for a minute, that I should be here, to-day, were it not for you? And it's a part of my religion to serve and trust that trust may serve." "How kind!" "You won't fail me, will you, Yodogima?" "I'll think about it; I do not wish to be narrow, or--outwitted."